Touring Mexico City: The Soumaya Museum

Frankly,
Mexico City is one of the last places on Earth I expected to see a
Van Gogh. But when the world's richest man,
Carlos Slim, decides Mexico City needs a European art gallery, Mexico City gets a European art gallery. The
Soumaya Museum--named after Slim's late wife--boasts a collection of nearly 70,000 works of art; the bulk of which consists of 15th to 20th century European treasures. As impressive as that is, it's the building itself that took my breath away, both inside and out:

A cast of Rodin's "Thinker" greets guests in the Museum's soaring, ultra-minimalist lobby. The cathedral-like space is so incredibly white and featureless that my camera couldn't find anything to focus on. For serious.Photography by Brett Walther.

Optical illusion, much? The unbroken linear arrangement of the hardwood floor almost camouflages the swooping ramps that link the Museum's six floors.Photography by Brett Walther.

The top floor of the museum is enitrely dedicated to European sculpture. Check out the amazing lighting installation overhead... Like the vast shapeless white space of the lobby, it's strikingly surreal.Photography by Brett Walther.

Heavenly host.Photography by Brett Walther.

Man without a face. Or belly.Photography by Brett Walther.

Surreal life.Photography by Brett Walther.

Rodins brush shoulders with Dalis.Photography by Brett Walther.

And here's that curious Van Gogh I'd mentioned earlier: 1884's "After the Storm," or "Shepherd With a Flock of Sheep." Certainly never would have pegged it as a Van Gogh if I hadn't read the marker.Photography by Brett Walther.

Even this Greek marble staircase serves as a display for sculpture.Photography by Brett Walther.

If you go to Museo Soumaya: * Admission is
free. * Allow yourself at least
three hours to cover the 170,000 square feet of exhibits. * After you've browsed the collection, treat yourself to an awesome meal. The museum is located in Mexico City's posh
Polanco district, offering some of the city's top shops and high-end restaurants.
More to do in Mexico City: * Check out the
Metropolitan Cathedral. * Explore
Aztec ruins. * Take a cruise on a
trajinera.
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